Otty Lake Association

Welcome to the OLA Website

Save the the Date for AGM

What: OLA Annual General Meeting
When: Thursday, July 7, 2022 - 6:00pm
Where: by Zoom - see link below.
 
Join us on July 7th to hear about what the OLA has been up to this past year, and plans for the upcoming year. After normal AGM business and OLA updates there will be presentations from Tay Valley Township, Drummond / North Elmsley, and other local partners!  
 
Reminder: Please pay your membership fee in advance of the AGM to be eligible to vote.

 

 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89671832058?pwd=eUpWTGxFSUhqVUkrQkdUYUFTRVcydz09

Meeting ID: 896 7183 2058
Passcode: 238163
If phoning in, use Toronto number: +1 647 558 0588 (long distance charges apply)

New Shoal Marking Program

Thirteen “high priority” shoals on Otty Lake have now beene marked with Transport Canada approved buoys and in accordance with Transport Canada guidelines.  Installation was started on the Victoria Day Weekend, and they will be removed at then end of the season. A number of residents have volunteered to “adopt” a shoal:  install the buoy on “their” shoal in the Spring, remove it in the Fall, and monitor it on a periodic basis.  Email ola@ottylakeassociation.ca for more details or if you'd like to help. 

Nature Floatilla
Sat. July 16 (rain date July 23)

Otty Lake residents will travel by kayak, canoe or powerboat to five sites in the northeast end of the lake (map coming later!) At each site – which can visited in any order -- a wildlife expert will be waiting to offer an informal presentation and answer questions. This is a relaxed and informative way to learn about nature, spend time on the lake and meet engaging wildlife experts. We’ll finish the Floatilla with a lunch at Maple Glen Estates beach.

Kairos Blanket Exercise
New Date Sat. August 20

Please join other Otty Lake residents for an interactive Kairos Blanket Exercise, led by elder Tina Vincent, to learn more about the history and current reality of Indigenous People in Canada. This will start at 10:00 a.m. at the Gibb-Carsley cottage, Miller Bay Road, with an optional potluck lunch afterwards. A rain location in Perth has been arranged.  Please RSVP to Christine Kilburn, who will proivide directions and other information.  Organized by the OLA Reconciliation Working Group.

Summer Information Package

Please take at look at our 2022 Summer Information Package for important information on the OLA , water safety, fire safety and the environment.  Your Area Counsellors will be in touch with you within the next few weeks to answer any questions and relay any concerns. They will also make sure each membership household receives an OLA  FOX40 whistle. If you have not paid your 2022 membership fees, you may do so by interac e-transfer or give a cheque to your Area Counsellor.  See the  membership page for details.

Household Hazardous Waste Depots Opening May 21, 2022

These depots accept residential HHW only.  Please be prepared to show proof of residency.

Tay Valley Residents:  Use the Middleville Hazardous Waste Depot, 4686 Wolf Grove Road, Lanark. Hours are Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. from Victoria Day Weekend until Thanksgiving Weekend. See TVT's Household Hazardous Waste page.

Drummond / North Elmsley Residents:  Use the Carleton Place Hazardous Waste Depot at 128 Patterson Crescent, Carleton Place.  It is open Saturdays 8 a.m. until 12 noon from May 21 to September 3.  Consult their brochure.

Reconciliation Working Group

The new Reconciliation Working Group is educating themselves on indigenous issues and indigenous peoples who live in the Otty Lake region. Victoria Gibb-Carsley and Michael Desautels presented this timeline at their second meeting. It was an eye-opener to many; it is shared here. Email editor@ottylakeassociation.ca if you would like to know more.

New Shoal Marking Program

The OLA is plans to implement a shoal marking program this Spring.  Eleven “high priority” shoals will be marked with Transport Canada approved buoys and in accordance with Transport Canada guidelines.  Buoys will installed on Saturday and Sunday of the May long weekend, and removed around Thanksgiving. A number of residents have volunteered to “adopt” a shoal:  install the buoy on “their” shoal in the Spring, remove it in the Fall, and monitor it on a periodic basis.  Email ola@ottylakeassociation.ca for more details or if you'd like to help. 

Spongy Moth (formerly LDD/Gypsy Moth)

Slides from the Friends of the Tay (FoTW) February 24 Zoom presentation are available. See Eric Boysen's presentation on the "What's New" page of the FoTW website.

The OLA has also assembled some resources to help you identify, respond and manage spongy moth outbreaks. 

Otty Lake Clothing

A selection of Otty Lake clothing items displaying your choice of the Otty Lake or OLA logo are available : T-shirts, golf-shirts, crew neck sweatshirts, pullover hoodies, zippered hoodies and ball caps. Thanks to Liz Lightford who has volunteered to coordinate the sales. Each item is made to order by Elite Engraving in Perth.

Read Our February Captain Otty's Log

The February newsletter has been posted. Thanks to all the Otty Lake residents who provided updates and to those who shared their photos with us. The male common mergansers photo at left are by Bruce Smith.

Our Table to Yours now Online

It’s been five and half years since we created the recipe book “Our Table to Yours”.  Much of the book is devoted to photos and anecdotes from Otty Lake’s past, many contributed by past and current residents, cottagers, and visitors.  Two printings quickly sold out that first year.  In the interest of sharing this great collection with the community, it has now been posted here.  We hope you enjoy the recipes, recognizing your neighbours in the photos and stories, and gain a better appreciation of the heritage of the area and of Otty Lake. It will take a minute to load. Use the section headings on the contents page or the index at the back of the book to find your favourites. Or use control F to do your own search.  (Note: Link works in Chrome, Mozilla and Edge, but not in Safari.)

State of the Lake Report 2021

Learn about the ongoing efforts to keep Otty Lake healthy in the 2021 State of the Lake Report. Thanks to all the volunteers who collected the data that makes this report possible. Thanks too, to the folks who put the report together. And finally, thanks to all of you who continue to take care of the shoreline and work to reduce the nutrients that end up in our lake.

Lake Links Presentations Available

Recordings from Lake Links 2021, held by Zoom on October 23, have now been posted.

Phragmites Removal

On Oct. 13 volunteers removed a stand of invasive phragmites  from a property on Loon’s Way. Team members were: Reid Kilburn, Christine Kilburn, David Murray, Selik Shainfarber, Glenn Tunnock, Dan Woods and organizer Linda Cuthbertson. Thankfully the 13th was one of those unseasonably warm days we have enjoyed this fall.

The OLA Board

Our July AGM and subsequent August board meeting resulted in some changes to the composition of our board. There is still one opening if you would like to join the team! Just contact Kirsten.

Kirsten Brouse - President	Members at Large:
Keith Desjardins - Vice President	Robert Cosh
Jenn O'Donoghue - Treasurer	Kyla Haley
Linda Cuthbertson - Recording Secretary	Cathy Kari
Barb Hicks - Communications Secretary	Rachel Roth
David and Susan Murray - Membership	Anne Scotton
Reid Kilburn - Past President	Kevin Terrion

Blue Green Algae Blooms
Health Unit News Release

Aug. 23, 2021. Potentially harmful algal blooms including blue-green algae are a natural seasonal phenomenon that may appear in our lakes, rivers and ponds. Many of these blooms are relatively harmless; however, some species have the potential to produce toxins which may be harmful to people and animals.

Paddle Power 2021 - Sun. Aug. 21

This years gathering spot was near Buck, Ruby and Clegg Islands. We counted 56 crafts and 65 participants in canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and children’s small crafts. Special thanks to drone operators Doug Jones and Cory Read, tour leaders Kit Muma and Bruce Smith, and property owners Janet and Jim Coward who welcomed videotaping from their cliffs. The group paddle was well documented as paddlers wove their way amongst the Burns Way channel islands.

Contribute Your Observations to iNaturalist

Discover and track the species that make their home in and around Otty Lake. We invite you to help us create an ongoing catalog of the wildlife for the area. This library will help us gain insight into the distribution and seasonality of the organisms in our region. It will help the scientific community through records of wildlife movements, invasive species, species at risk as well as sharing observations among friends. Visit the website or download the app. 

New Online Registration
for Open Air Burn Permits

A permit is required for all open air burning. Residents who registered for a permit prior to June 1, 2021 have until November 30, 2021 to re-apply.

Complete your permit application online at dnetv.burnpermits.com or call 613-267-2596. Permits are free. If you are a tenant, permission from the property owner must be obtained.

UpTICK on Ticks and Lyme Disease in Eastern Ontario

Listen to the recording of June 8, 2021 webinar with Dr. Andrew Peregrine, Associate Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph presented by Friends of the Napanee River and Friends of the Salmon River.

A Word of Thanks to our Lake Steward, Derek Smith

For the past ten years, Derek Smith has made significant contributions to the water quality program on Otty Lake. Working with our former Lake Steward Murray Hunt, Derek supported the testing program, helped interpret our water quality data, and did site visits around the lake to investigate algae or aquatic vegetation reported by residents. And for the past four years Derek has served as Lake Steward himself, bringing his considerable experience and expertise to managing all elements of our water testing and monitoring program, including answering residents' questions about our lake. We have all benefited significantly from his diligence and commitment to Otty Lake.

This is Derek's last year as Lake Steward on Otty Lake when he'll be handing the job over to Kevin Terrion who will work with a small group of volunteers to continue the water quality work.

Thank you Derek for the years of dedication to Otty Lake, and we hope to be able to continue benefiting from your expertise as a knowledgeable lake resident for years to come.

Etransfer Your OLA Membership Fees

The OLA Board hopes you and your families are staying healthy during these unusual times.  

In order to continue the work and education around the lake, we do rely on your membership dues. Please consider  paying your $25 dues by e-transfer to financial@ottylakeassociation.ca  The security question to input is "province we live in", and the answer is "Ontario". Please include some identifying details in the message, such as your address, or if you are a couple, both of your names. We have had a few submissions we have struggled to identify!

if you prefer, you can mail a cheque made out to the Otty Lake Association for $25 to Otty Lake Association, Box 20122, Perth, ON K7H 3M6.
 

Updated Lake Map Here

A new map of Otty Lake has been made available to residents and cottagers. This is an update of the 18" x 24" map produced in 2010. More islands and bays have been named, shoals indicated, and the 30 m. reduced speed zone marked to encourage safe boating. Maps were made available to paid up members, with additional copies available for $5.00 each.

Crown Island Use

Twenty of the 31 islands in Otty Lake are considered "Crown land". They are owned by the provincial government and managed by Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). The public is free to use them, but camping is not permitted on islands smaller than 200 feet across.

Lake Protection is Everyone's Responsibility

The “Lake Protection Workbook: A Self-Assessment Tool for Shoreline Property Owners” is designed for you to self-assess whether activities and uses on your property are protecting Otty Lake. Your property is important to the overall health of our lake - every action matters. For a printed copy of this workbook, contact christine.k@bell.net.   

RVCA Watershed Conditions

The RVCA issues periodic Watershed Conditions Statements.   You can access these  statements on the RVCA website or sign up to be mailed updates.

Ticks and Lyme Disease:

This presentation by the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit was given to the Lake Networking Group in mid April 2018.

 

Tips for high risk areas from the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation.

 

What what you need to know about tick removal, how to recognize the Lyme Disease rash, and how Lyme disease is diagnosed.    

Black Bears around Otty Lake

Bears Bears are frequently seen in the Otty Lake watershed, and can peacefully coexist with residents.   Educate yourself on their behaviour in case you encounter one.  Bears are attracted to food of any kind, so be careful how you deal with garbage, fruit trees, barbeques and bird feeders. Generally, bears want to avoid humans. Most encounters are not aggressive and attacks are rare.

Emergency: Call 911.

If people, pets or livestock are in immediate danger.

Non Emergency: Call 1-866-514-2327

The Bear Wise reporting line (between April 1 and November 30). A bear passing by, in a tree, breaking into garbage, emptying bird feeders etc.

From Dec 1 to March 31, contact your local MNRF District office. The Kemptville office is (613) 258-8204.

 

 

 

Read Older Stories >>>